Jim, I got a call yesterday informing me of his passing. What a shock! I just talked to him several weeks ago at the Holdrege shoot. Always a big smile and joking with the guys. He will surley be missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Words cannot express the deep sadness I and the Trapshooters from San Diego feel of the loss of a GENTLEMAN TRAPSHOOTER, Good Husband, a Great Dad, but most of all, MY FRIEND.

I met Ed, 15-18 years ago at Miramar at an ATA shoot and I shot with him that day. Saw the Nebraska plates on his car, started visiting about people from Nebraska and Kansas that we both knew. That’s what started our friendship.

We would talk all year long on the phone, till it was time for the Bannister’s to come to Carlsbad,CA for a few months.

Then Ed and I would take off together, have breakfast, and go to REDLANDS or Camp Pendleton. Stop for an In-n-Out on the way home; get lost sometimes, by missing our turn. But, we had fun!!!

We would have lots of long great talks on those short trips together.

I would always call Ed two or three times when I was on a long road trip, to OK or THE GRAND.

Things I most remember, Ed was the perfect gentleman, Trapshooting was the sport he loved so much.

A few things Ed would always say, “Boy, I wish I could be out there with you shooting BLUE ROCKS.”
or “That’s a good deal, Joe.”

But every time and I mean every phone conversation that I had with Ed Bannister, there would be two things said by ED to me, and I will dearly miss hearing these from him, but thank God, I have them in my memories of ED. Those two things were: THANKS for Calling and You are a good friend.

Now comes the hard part, with tears in my eyes. I say Good Bye to my friend ED BANNISTER.

Knowing that is he on Post 1 calling to see a target, where there is no wind, no slow pulls, and no cloudy days.

Again, GOOD BYE MY FRIEND with all the love and respect one can have for a person like ED BANNISTER.